Bruce wrote:Recently, near the trade deadline, Russel has been talking like, he is not untouchable blah blah blah. Man, he has not shown he can be a real star in the league. So by all means Lakers, draft another PG.

Link/article/video? I must've missed this.

I think if they did get another guard they'd coexist fine. Russell is 6'5 which makes him capable of playing the "other" guard. Fultz is 6'4, Ball is 6'6 and Jackson is listed at 6'8. I''m sure drafting any of those three guys wouldn't mean Russell is on his way out.

For now, I just hope the Lakers keep the pick. Not getting myself worked up a la Okafor hype a few years back. Learned my lesson.

Jackal wrote:I'd be cool with trading the pick for PG. Only guys I wouldn't trade are Ingram and Russell.

It's nice a star player actually wants to play in LA again.

Nick Young is getting paid this summer. Dude is balling for his standards and he's on an extremely friendly contract.

Nick Young is shooting the ball relatively well (from 3, over .400%). However, he brings basically nothing else to the table. He is playing close to 27 MPG and is averaging 1.0 APG. Hes not a great defender, and he's seldom on the boards (2.3 RPG). If one of my guards can't even conjur up 100 assists in a season with that many minutes and that many touches, I'd question giving him a decent payday.

Honestly, I watch Nick Young with a lot of frustration. I hope he doesn't get a good contract, because I don't think he brings anything to the table other than 3 point shooting. And his stats certainly backup that point.

"I don't know if I practiced more than anybody, but I sure practiced enough. I still wonder if somebody - somewhere - was practicing more than me." - Larry Bird

On July 12, 2013, the Brooklyn Nets officially announced they had acquired Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Jason Terry and D.J. White from the Boston Celtics in exchange for Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks, Keith Bogans and their unprotected first-round draft picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018. The Celtics also received the right to swap first-rounders with the Nets in 2017.

I was looking up the current NBA if somehow there was a way to amnesty Deng and Mozgov. Then I thought maybe the Lakers can fool some other teams to take Deng and Mozgov. It's bad trades like these that give me hope. Lol

A big maybe if Garnett, Pierce and Terry were still in their primes. So far the 2014 pick turned out to be James Young and the 2016 pick turned out to be Jaylen Brown. But let's see how the picks turn out in 2017 and 2018. Why can't NY have 1 good team?

Bruce wrote:A big maybe if Garnett, Pierce and Terry were still in their primes. So far the 2014 pick turned out to be James Young and the 2016 pick turned out to be Jaylen Brown. But let's see how the picks turn out in 2017 and 2018. Why can't NY have 1 good team?

well if they got them in their prime then these picks would be total junk right now. even still a prime KG and a prime pierce with a prime terry in tow would by worth 4 total top 3 picks easily imo. however thats not what happened so the nets look like fools

Lakers president and co-owner Jeanie Buss has thwarted a legal attempt by her older brothers, Johnny and Jim Buss, to strip her of her controlling ownership of the NBA team.

The Buss brothers had filed a motion to hold a meeting with the Lakers' minority owners next Tuesday to elect a new board of directors -- and to replace Jeanie Buss.

Lawyers for Jeanie Buss challenged the motion in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday by filing a temporary restraining order, saying the Buss brothers' actions were continuing to "breach their duties" by challenging her controlling ownership.

The motion was subsequently withdrawn, and the meeting for next week has been canceled.

"I want to make sure that they don't try to do this thing again," Jeanie Buss' lawyer Adam Streisand told ESPN. "No one wants to go through this again. We just want the team and the fans to have the stability and the success.

air gordon wrote:Can the lakers use the stretch provision on moz or deng?

I believe they can, but that would just add more years to their payouts.

If the player is waived from September 1 to June 30, then the current season is paid per the normal payment schedule, and any remaining years are stretched over twice the number of years remaining plus one as described above. For example, if the player is waived on December 1 with two seasons remaining on his contract at $10.2 million and $10.5 million, respectively, then the current season (at $10.2 million) is paid normally, and the final season (at $10.5 million) is stretched over three years (one season times two, plus one) and paid in even amounts of $3.5 million per year.

Deng would be paid for like the coming 7 years I think. (Three remaining, doubled and add one.)

I'm not sure what the NBA salary floor is and if the Lakers would've met it without Deng/Mozgov.

Still those contracts are atrocious, even if it was about meeting the salary floor, I don't understand why they went with such lengthy contracts.

That's the amnesty clause. That was when you could release a single player and not have his salary count against your cap. The stretch provision just "stretches" the money owed to a player and still counts against the cap I think.

air gordon wrote:So would it be wiser to keep both contracts of the prized vets as is vs stretch provision one? Longer payout but that would open up more $ to throw at a big name fa (Paul George )

I don't think any truly good FA will be coming to LA in the off-season. If Deng continues to underperform and Mozzy plays as he always has. I think the best decision is to keep the two for 2 extra seasons and use the stretch on the final season of their contracts to create room for FA and pay the young ones that do perform. Of course that is if there really is no opportunity coming to trade them for the venerable "cap space". While we are at it, I think Brewer might attract some suitors. Maybe the Lakers can squeeze something out of that.

air gordon wrote:So would it be wiser to keep both contracts of the prized vets as is vs stretch provision one? Longer payout but that would open up more $ to throw at a big name fa (Paul George )

George isn't available this off season, right? If he comes this off season it will be in a trade for the lottery pick and others. Hopefully anyone but Ingram and Russell. With that in mind, just eat their contracts. Let Zu have the russian to go up against in practice and let Luol, Luol. He seems to be a good veteran, does what's asked and doesn't create a fuss. Then again for that amount, I would hope he doesn't fuss.

I don't think anyone is going to give LA anything for Brew. Like having him on the team but it was basically about the draft pick in that trade. Whatever he adds is a bonus.

I don't think any big name FA's are coming to LA this off season, in terms of development it doesn't make much sense either. Would welcome George in a trade though, but it all depends on the lottery.

Interesting development with the lakers tank job battle. From outsiders POV it seems lala is content stinking it up for more lottery balls (and to keep the pick). Suns oddly enough are playing themselves out of bottom 3 while philly and Orlando are joining the fray

Does anybody get the sinking feeling that D'Angelo's max potential is to be a one-dimensional player like Carmelo Anthony that never takes his team anywhere? After seeing Lonzo Ball's performance today, if the Lakers get the #1 pick, they should trade Russell for Paul george

Sure, Russell dropped 40, but it doesn't matter if you let the other guy score 46, it doesn't mean shit

Andrew wrote:Do you think Lonzo Ball will be a lockdown defender at the NBA level?

I don't expect him to be great defensively, but he seems to be more of a team player than Russell. With Russell, you'll get nights like this where he scores 40 but you'll also get plenty of nights where he shoots you out of the game and wind up like 2 for 15. Ball is a much more willing passer

Russell could be a great scorer in the league, but I can't see him as a traditional pg setting anyone else up. I'd rather see them trade Russell and keep randle and Clarkson

[Q] wrote:Russell could be a great scorer in the league, but I can't see him as a traditional pg setting anyone else up. I'd rather see them trade Russell and keep randle and Clarkson

The thing with Russell is he is a scoring guard who is learning how to play point guard, he even said that it's his first time playing point guard last year. He is still learning but you can see glimpse that he can play point guard in the NBA.

[Q] wrote:Does anybody get the sinking feeling that D'Angelo's max potential is to be a one-dimensional player like Carmelo Anthony that never takes his team anywhere? After seeing Lonzo Ball's performance today, if the Lakers get the #1 pick, they should trade Russell for Paul george

Sure, Russell dropped 40, but it doesn't matter if you let the other guy score 46, it doesn't mean shit

A bit premature. Give the guy a chance. This is his redshirt freshman year. Not too many pure pg's nowadays anyway. Though I will say his perceived value is lower than what it was was for him heading into the draft

Why? Russ isn't a selfish player? I'm just not sure he's a traditional PG. For longevity's sake you draft best available talent if you keep the pick and work with what you've got for another year. Sign George next off season. Why even give up assets when the guy is a year away from FA?

Ball's dad really puts me off. Add that cheesy BBB shoe advertisement they released. His shooting stroke looks incredibly unorthodox as well and I'm sure some opposing teams will target him solely based on his dad.

If LA keeps their pick I'd want Fultz - Jackson - Ball in that order.

I think a back court of Russell & Ball would work if it comes down to it.

Still the highest on Ingram though, I really like that kid. He's so emotionless I want him to be Kawhi-lite so bad. Favorite players currently are Ingram - Russell - Nance - Randle & Clarkson in that order. Love T-Rob & Black too. Zubac is a project so wouldn't want to lose him yet either.

I don't know much about Fultz, given I don't I'll stick with what I know and I know Ingram turned it up end of the season. Kid is just 19, I'll stick with Ingram/Russell over Fultz (unknown to me) and a first round pick (which is also unknown to me).

Fair enough anyway. A lot of pundits are claiming fultz is a for sure franchise player

True, but I've been burned being all hyped with the Okafor thing a few years back. I'll wait it out and see them play first. I'm sure Fultz or whoever goes 1-2-3 will be good or have the potential to be, but I think Ingram and to a lesser extent Russell have something pretty special in them.

Hopefully all the young guys come in to next season showing some improvements, they've all got areas they can work on.

we better take fultz. if i had my way we would trade IT while his value was high as i have no faith in his longevity as an "elite" player.

good news for you guys though as papa ball wanted baby ball to play for LA anyway.

edit: see this "report" that ball might only work out for the lakers? man i hope thats true then the celtics can fuck the lakers and work a deal before hand where both teams get who they want but the lakers have to send shit bostons way also